I have decided to do short term rentals of my home in baltimore to travel nurses and other traveling professionals.

If you can't get a professional looking job, it will look like the tenants (novices) painted it, and will lower the desirability of the unit for the next occupants.Keep with neutral, off-white colors, keep it simple--it will broaden the appeal to the greatest number of potential renters.

They are simply free lancers, driving for car shared companies, or becoming Task Rabbiters and Thumbtack professionals.  

In my view, homeowner's insurance + umbrella + professional property manager should be good enough to (i) prevent lawsuits and (ii) protect you sufficiently if the worst happens. 

Although I do property management for my own houses, I like to recommend @Craig Bellot to manage other properties, as he is very professional. 

Is there a source for the following data;  I am looking for the "norm" for the expense ratio (based on either GPR or Gross Income) for individually metered garden style apartments in the south east and the mid Atlantic (Region IV) : Marketing Insurance Janitorial Service Lawn/Snow Licenses Miscellaneous Professional Fees Accounting Legal Property Management Fees Repairs and Maintenance Resident Superintendent Salaries and Wages Supplies Taxes Real Estate Personal Property Payroll Other Trash Removal Utilities Electricity Fuel Oil Gas Sewer and Water Telephone Other (whatever I missed)

And these are good tenants, who pay on time and try to take care of things themselves with the professionals I send.And the truth is, worse than the expense, is trying to get people to help me resolve things.

I would love to get to know local real estate investors and other local professionals from the area, as I am new the investing in this city and its surroundings.

They choose the area because of good schools, because the home is close to the Walmart, mall, hospital... something like that.

I would like to know the tax benefits of the RE Professional .